The Graveyard Book was my final read of 2008 because I had seen so many great reviews, and wanted to end the year on a high note. I was not disappointed. However, due to the fact that I'm very behind in all my reviews and that there have been so many great reviews of this book already, I'll keep this short.
When we meet Nobody Owens, he is a baby, and his parents have just been murdered by a mysterious assailant. The boy wanders from the scene, and into a graveyard, where he is adopted by the dead who are buried there, and another who is not dead, yet not among the living. Over the following pages, we watch Nobody, or Bod for short, grow into a young man, with no fear of the dead and full of curiosity about the living.
I didn't love The Graveyard Book. Well, not right away. I wasn't sure about it at all at first, and I can't put my finger on the moment that I fell for it. And boy did I fall. The word that springs to mind whenever I think about the Graveyard Book now is "gentle". There is an absolute gentleness about this book, despite its rather gruesome opening chapter. There was so much that reminded me of The Jungle Book, the inspiration behind this story, of a young boy's innocence, and of his friends' and family's attempts to shelter him from the unknown and fearsome world outside. I really grew to care about Bod and his journey, I wanted him to find the truth that he needed, but to be safe. He became family and I wanted to protect him.
This is at its heart, a ghost story. But one not about a ghost. Bod is a living, breathing human, and above all, this story is about him. It is about the wonders of childhood, and the loss of it. It is about the excitement and fear of the journey. I have some strong memories of childhood, but there is also a great deal that I have lost, events and moments that I cannot get back, and sometimes that leaves me with a terrible sadness. The transient nature of our lives. I wish that perhaps I had written more as a child. But many of my abiding memories come from the stories that I read, or were read to me. The Graveyard Book could have been such a story, and I wonder how much I would have loved it as a child. As an adult, I shall continue to appreciate it for another example of Neil Gaiman's beautiful writing. And perhaps more wistfully, I shall lose myself in more memories of the past.
Other blog reviews:
Stainless Steel Droppings
The Written World
Stuff as Dreams are Made On
Things Mean a Lot
Rhinoa's Ramblings
Books & Other Thoughts
Melody's Reading Corner
You Can Never Have Too Many Books
Bold.Blue.Adventure
The Hidden Side of a Leaf
Valentina's Room
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
The Graveyard Book - Neil Gaiman
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14 comments:
Gentle is indeed a great word for it. I'm glad you ended up falling in love with it. And I know what you mean about feeling sad for moments that can't be lived again.
I really enjoyed reading this book! Neil's writing is wonderful and one could not help but immerse deeply into his stories!
Ah, what a great book. I really enjoy Gaiman's ability to take from The Jungle Book and yet make a book that stands totally on its own. You would never need to know that it was inspired by the Jungle Book.
Nymeth - It was such a pleasant suprise, as I really wasn't expecting this kind of feel to the book. Gaiman's won me over!
Melody - I'm probably the last person on the bandwagon, but I'm really falling for Gaiman!
Kim - I agree! I love the parallels with the Jungle Book, but only because its my favourite disney film!! The book is excellent on its own.
awww beautiful review, I'm glad you ended up liking it!
"The word that springs to mind whenever I think about the Graveyard Book now is "gentle". There is an absolute gentleness about this book, despite its rather gruesome opening chapter."
so true! It's loving and gentle although some people keep labeling as creepy.It's maybe the less creepy thing I've read by Neil Gaiman. And yet it's one of the best!
Thanks Valentina! I'm a sucker for gentleness! I thought of it as more eerie than creepy, but truly truly lovely. Probably my favourite of his work.
I have this in my TBR, I have heard lots of good things about it.
My fav Gaiman so far is Coraline.
http://thebookworm07.blogspot.com/
I just picked this up from the library today. I know the author read the entire book online but I wanted to read the book version for some odd reason.
Naida - Ooh I had completely forgotton about Coraline! I think you'll like this too though!
Ladytink - I'm looking forward to hearing what you think about it. The illustrations are worth reading the book for.
This was a fabulous review! A gentle ghost story. I like that description. :)
Thanks Em, it seems to be my word of the moment!
Alex is reading this at the moment and really enjoying it. To me it read like a book of short stories all from different times in Bod's life. Each chapter is also stand alone and it was woven together beautifully. I'm glad you liked it too :)
I am so glad that you fell for it. I recall that feeling, the same thing happened to me. I fell for it even more the second time around when I listened to the audio version.
"Gentle" is a great description, it really is a gentle coming-of-age tale, one that ends quite bittersweetly and lovely at the same time.
Rhinoa - I'm glad Alex is enjoying it. I see what you mean about feeling like a collection of short stories. But then Gaiman is an excellent short story writer!
Carl - I've been thinking about listening to the audio version. Its so different when the author reads it. I loved the ending too, it fit the tone perfectly.
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